


A Shared Memory

by foggywizard



Category: Noblesse (Manhwa)
Genre: Alternate Universe-Pokemon, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-08-03
Packaged: 2019-05-21 04:34:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14908421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foggywizard/pseuds/foggywizard
Summary: Crossposted from tumbr/FFN. A collection of Pokémon AU fics. Most interconnected, some not. Always complete. Encompasses a range of genres, from fluff, to angst, to pure crack.





	1. A Shared Memory

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by on the Pokémon AU pwmo is working on. This occurs pre Rai awakening in the timeline, with personalities being how I envisioned them pre-Rai (I.e., shy Yuna, Chairman mask Franken) I imagine Ye-Ran has an additional function as a trainer's school in this 'verse.

A knock at the door draws Professor Lee from his paperwork. With a huff he drops the supply request he'd been reviewing to the desk. At least it wouldn't be Shinwoo again, he wasn't in the mood for punishing the good-natured delinquent today, and Shinwoo would have just waltzed in if that were the case, so… "Come in, please." He called out.

"Excuse us for intruding." Yuna greeted, walking in with Suyi, "We came for advice."

"I see, well then, take a seat and tell me your problem." The blond man bade them, a gentle smile on his face. He always had time for his students. Paperwork could be taken home, after all, no matter how much his Blissey fussed about him "not getting enough rest". Honestly, it was like she didn't know he didn't need sleep.

"It's not a problem, so much," Suyi began, "Yuna and I have both decided to get a Pokémon, start training, and we'd like to get the same kind, sort of as a memento of our friendship."

"Don't you girls already have a Pokémon? While it's my duty and pleasure to give starting trainers a Pokémon, there are rules." He chided gently, "I can't give away starters to a trainer that has one already without them meeting certain requirements. League standard law, as I'm sure you've studied in class."

Yuna turned tomato red. "M-my Skitty isn't so much a battle Pokémon as he is a house cat. He's more my mom's pet anyway…" She trailed off, mumbling the last line. Poor girl still wasn't used to talking yet, even with Shinwoo and Ikhan, and now Suyi helping her.

"My Jigglypuff belongs to the company more than to me…" Suyi also trailed off here, not wanting to badmouth her precious contest partner. For something so cute, fairy-types could be little monsters, and her Jigglypuff was worse than most. She was more a primadonna than most of her coworkers, be it models, singers, or actors. She straightened up "But we're not here to ask for Pokémon, we're here to ask you about breeders. You're well known, even outside of your field, surely you could direct us to some reputable ones?"

The Professor smirked. "That I am, and yes I can. Is there any particular species you had in mind? To help narrow it down."

Suyi brightened. "We've decided on some Eevee." She looked to Yuna. "Even with how different they can turn out, they're still so similar." 'Like Yuna and I,' was left unspoken.

"If you would follow me for a bit?" Professor Lee lead the way out of the office, towards the part of the school where the Pokémon Labs were. The girls followed, confused. Maybe he kept the breeder information there?

"Here we are." He said, going to a part of the lab unfamiliar to them from their studies. A button was pressed, and, "There we go. Two Eevee eggs. Ready to be hatched." He handed them each an occupied incubator.

"But I thought you couldn't give us a Pokémon!" Suyi exclaimed, Yuna too dumbfounded to respond.

"You are correct." Professor Lee's blue eyes sparkled with mischief. "I can't give you a Pokémon. However, these are EGGS. There is nothing in the rules about me giving out eggs" He'd checked. He liked being aware of any possible loopholes.

"Um, is this alright, Professor?" Yuna looked a bit uneasy, unsure. So Lee reassured her.

"Yes. I would have had to hatch these for trainer use anyway, and I've not got the time to do so." He did, but they didn't need to know that. "Please, they deserve better than to languish here in a box."

"If you say so." Yuna didn't look totally convinced, but she was nothing if not an obedient student. The kind to get top grades but still go unnoticed by her peers. Lee was glad she had her group of friends. Background checks had revealed copious bullying of the quiet girl until Shinwoo and Ikhan came into the picture, but now she even had a fellow female friend to relate to.

As the girls left, discussing possible nicknames to differentiate between their future friends, he let out a satisfied sigh. With the Eevee as a constant common interest of the two, a bonding point even, Yuna would have an outgoing friend to help her out of her shell, and Suyi would have a down to earth friend to keep her grounded in the chaos that was the entertainment world. Yes. This would turn out nicely. Frankenstein considered this a good day.


	2. Nicknames are Important!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place over episodes 16-18, while Rai is hanging out with the children for the first time. Shy Yuna is a bit cynical in her thoughts. Uses dialogue from the actual chapters (slightly changed to make a bit more sense, and add in the AU).

"Rai, thank you." Yuna's gratitude was more than sincere. That Shinwoo and Ik-Han would come to her rescue…they were friends, that was normal; they'd done so more than once, albeit in far less dangerous scenarios, and she appreciated it. Cadis Etrama di Raizel, however, was a surprise. Today was his first day, and there's no way he'd be familiar enough with his classmates to care enough to risk his safety for them. Heck, besides Shinwoo, Ik-Han, and Suyi, she doubted that any of her current classmates would have even attempted to save her from that strange man. Of all the days to have Yakgwa at the groomers!

"Rai?" Her friends echoed questioningly. Had they really not heard?

"Oh….All the girls call him by 'Rai.' We didn't know what to call him at first." And if it weren't for Professor Lee's copious anti-violence measures at the school, she was certain that they would have started fights over the right to ask the handsome foreigner if the nickname was okay. Since she was here, "But if you don't like it…"

"You can call me as you would like." That seemed to be the end of the soft-spoken young man's thoughts on the matter. How did his hair get so artfully windswept in that moment? There wasn't even a _breeze!_

"Okay." She smile in answer. That settled that. Yuna shifted to include the others in the conversation. "How come you guys were together so late?" She could guess, but…

"We hung out at the internet cafe." Shinwoo smirked.

"I see." Honestly, the boys could be so predictable sometimes. That they'd stay so late, and now only just be walking home was just…hmm. "Rai, where do you live, by the way?"

"Now that we think about it…." If it weren't for the fact that they just said the same things at the same time, instead of finishing each other's sentences, she'd think they were psychically connected, like those Ryukyuan gym leader twins.

An awkward silence fell over the group, the three friends staring down their newest member until he reached into his jacket, rummaging a bit before presenting them with a paper, held aloft between two fingers. Shinwoo took it, holding it so that his companions could see.

"Huh?" A blonde man was displayed proudly on the front, posing coyly. Was this a _glamour_ shot? "It's a picture of Professor Lee. Why does he have that…?"

"There's a message on the back." Ik-han stated, so Shinwoo flipped it. 'I'm lost. Please, help', along with a phone number. What? There's no way that Rai was that close with the Professor, right?

The three, along with Rai, found themselves in a tastefully decorated living room. "I didn't expect to have any visitors, so all I have is tea." Professor Lee admitted, setting mugs full of the drink in front of the children. "Make yourself at home." The blond smiled at the kids.

* * *

"Thank you." The students -sans Rai, who was already drinking his tea- replied. Niceties out of the way, Shinwoo guzzled his drink, before bluntly asking, "Sir, do you live with this dude?"

"Yes, that's right. I know him personally, so he will be staying with me." Shinwoo nodded his understanding before Lee continued, "Well, I am surprised that all of you were together this late."

Ik-han laughed sheepishly, "We hung out at the internet cafe with Rai after school." He and Shinwoo always ended up losing track of time gaming. The habit wound up with the heavy sleeping Shinwoo being late for school on more than one occasion. Today had been a prime example.

"Rai?"

"Oh… the girls at school call him Rai. So we decided to call him Rai as well." Yuna explained,"Of course, Rai was okay with it."

The professor looked to Rai for a moment, considering. "I see."

Ik-han's expression changed. "But Yuna wasn't with us. We met her when she was in trouble."

"Trouble?" The blond seemed a bit shocked. This was a peaceful part of town.

"Yes. A guy was trying to snatch Yuna, so the three of us ran over there. Shinwoo and Bohoja attacked the guy and took Yuna away from him."

"Oh my, he won't be able to walk for awhile. Shinwoo wouldn't have gone easy on a man like that." Neither would Bohoja, for that matter. He'd given Shinwoo the Riolu specifically because of their similar personalities, hoping they'd both calm down, with each other to take care of. No such luck, unfortunately. But at least Shinwoo wasn't home alone anymore.

Professor Lee went on to explain, for Rai's benefit, since he didn't know, "Shinwoo worked with lots of athletes before. Many schools wanted to scout him because he is talented in every sport." With the best of his skills being in martial arts. He'd only gotten better with Bohoja at his side. Fighting type Pokemon were more durable, and made better sparring partners than humans usually did.

"Yes, I know. But that man stood right up, just as if he never got hit!" Ik-han was incredulous. This kind of thing didn't happen. Ever. Shinwoo was the best fighter he knew.

The blond hummed. "Maybe Shinwoo didn't hit him hard enough." He could hope. Shinwoo was at the pinnacle of what most ordinary humans could achieve, in terms of fighting skill. As an enhanced human, Lee well knew what that was.

"No, I kicked him really hard. I felt that impact through my foot, too." Shinwoo shook his foot, grimacing in frustration. "But he stood up, like nothing happened. Even when I had Bohoja _force palm_ him."

"He stood up like nothing happened? I haven't seen anyone able to compete with Shinwoo or Bohoja when it comes to martial arts." This was bad. Please…please let it not be what he thought it was. His students wouldn't be able to reliably be able to defend themselves against such a being, and it'd be a massive discovery risk to take it out himself.

"His eyes and teeth were like an animals. His skin was sickly pale, and he looked like he hadn't eaten in a while. It was so creepy!" Well, shit.

"Ik-han's right. That guy's eyes were shining like a laser…" Double shit!

"Shinwoo, stop that nonsense." It wasn't nonsense, not that Lee could correct him without opening up a massive can of worms he'd rather stayed closed, and a good thousand miles away, if possible. "Luckily, Yuna wasn't hurt, and we ran away after Shinwoo and Bohoja took him down."

Hmm. What if…? He'd confirm his suspicions with Master. After the children left. If this was what he thought it was…."Sir?" The question snapped him back to attention.

"Yes, Shinwoo?" Did he have more details about the attack?

"Give him some lunch money." The redhead sat with his arms crossed, like the Professor'd done something wrong.

"Ah, lunch…w-what, lunch?" Lunch? But master didn't need to eat.

"I know he is new, and school ends early, but I had to buy him lunch." Oh _shit_. Not only had he failed to factor in that his master might want to eat with the other students, a student, one living on his own having to do his own budgeting, had bought him lunch. What had he done!? "Argh, I'm so low on cash these days." Yes. He'd fucked up. He'd be wiring some funds into Shinwoo's account at first opportunity. It wouldn't be the first time he'd done so, after all, he took care of his students. He just had to be discreet, so Shinwoo never noticed it was him. In the meantime, he deserved any punishment his master decided on.

The blond's self-recriminating thoughts were interrupted by a massive yellow fox bowling him over. The Ninetails had waited with her fellow bonded for 820 years for their master to return, and she was not going to wait any longer, no matter what Frankenstein said about "making sure master is settled." She halted at Master's chair, shoving her head under his hand and demanding to be petted. Sure, not as elegant as she normally was, but she had waited nearly a _millennium _for this.__

____

"My, she really seems to have missed you, Rai!" Yuna wasn't sure if Rai even had a Pokémon, but here was proof otherwise.

__

"Ah, yes. She got here before he did, and she hasn't exactly appreciated being separated." Professor Lee explained, once he'd straightened his clothes from the unexpected tumble.

__

The Ninetails stretched her neck as Rai scratched a particularly pleasant spot between her ears. "She's beautiful, what do you call her?" Yuna asked. Certainly this pretty girl had a name that suited her as well as her trainer did.

__

But no! Rai looked confused. "Ninetails. If she has another form of address, she hasn't told me." Well of course not! Pokémon couldn't speak, except for the few that could do so telepathically. Even so, this was unacceptable.

__

"Rai, she has to have a nickname, otherwise, what makes her different from others of her kind?" The boys nodded. They understood.

__

"I agree. Even my Porygon has a name. Python. For the programming language I used to make it." Ik-han explained his choice of nickname. He was rather proud of Python. Most people went out and caught themselves a Pokémon, or got them from a breeder or professor. But no, he'd managed to _make_ his. Surprisingly simply too. What with pokéballs transforming Pokémon into data and back again, it was fairly simple to upload the program into a Pokébank and from there to a PC box. He was ecstatic when he removed the newly filled pokéball from storage, and interacted with Python for the first time in the real world.

__

"Giving a Pokemon a nickname is an expression of the love you have for it." Shinwoo said, rubbing Bohoja's pokéball.

__

Rai nodded. That made sense, he liked the name they'd given him. But, "I can't think of a name that would suit her." Plus it wasn't his right to name her. If she'd wanted a nickname, she'd have told him, right? But she was looking up at him hopefully….

__

Yuna blushed a bit. "Well, I call my Eevee 'Yakgwa.' It's his favorite snack, so he responded to it being said even before we made it his name." She looked a bit contemplative. "Most people name them based on experiences you've had with them, but… people will often name them based on how they look, if they can't think of anything else. The way her tails fan out is kind of like a water lily, right? How about 'Lotus?'"

__

Rai looked his Ninetails, a moment passing before he nodded. "She says she likes it." Really? …was Ninetails one of the telepathic Pokémon? She'd have to review her studies. Or maybe Rai himself was psychic. He'd hardly be the first case, but they tended to stick to psychic types. Like attracts like, and all that.

__

Professor Lee took a glance at his phone. "It's getting rather late. You've all got to get home if you want enough sleep for school tomorrow." Then called his secretary to come pick them up.

__

* * *

__

Frankenstein finished up a phone call before turning to his master. "The secretary made sure the students went home." But still…. "Master, the story from the students is bothering me." Finally, he could ask. "The man that attacked Yuna… is he… a vampire?"

__

Raizel looked up from the packet in his lap, giving his servant his full attention. "Of course their story can't explain everything, but something about the situation is bothering me. One of the things that changed during your sleep was an agreement. At first, as you know, it existed to protect humans from vampire attacks. But now that humans have gained power, for the sake of secrecy, vampires are prohibited from attacking humans. That's why humans don't know vampires exist, unlike in the past. But if they broke the agreement and attacked in a populated area…."

__

"I don't know." Short. Succinct. Just like his master. But still…

__

"There's nothing you don't know about vampires." Because vampires sprung from noble energy.

__

"Uncontrollable desire. I could feel strong wrath and hunger that cannot be compared to any mutant I've encountered before."

__

He didn't deny that it might be a vampire. But he still couldn't tell? What kind of creature was it that Master couldn't tell if it was a vampire or not? Something was definitely going on. And Master might be involved. Frankenstein would have to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible.

__

Raizel flipped the packet to its front page, finished reading the guide to the 21st century, for now, at least. "He brought me lunch." Rai'd been touched by the action. He'd not needed food, yet the human had provided it anyway. Even though, as the conversation earlier indicated, he didn't have much money. The guide said money was important. It could be traded for goods and services. Like the food.

__

"Ahh…" Frankenstein looked a bit panicked. "I-I'm so _sorry_. I should have taken care of your meals…." Should have made sure Master had tea, and sweets, and just…an all-around better lunch period than he had to have had.

__

Frankenstein worried about the silliest things sometimes. "I tried the food here for the first time, and I liked it." Of course it was good. It was served at the school. Franken wouldn't let bad things be served at the school, right?

__

"Really? I'm glad to hear that." He didn't know what he'd do if Master disliked the place. Not that he'd ever seen Master actually complain about anything. He'd even drink that swill Urokai called tea.

__

"I like the place called 'school' as well." It had many windows, and the children there were happy. It would serve as an excellent place to learn more about this world, and how it worked now.

__

"Oh…I see…." Franken seemed relieved. There's no way making such a place could have been easy. Did he really think that Raizel would dislike something he'd worked so hard to make? Raizel didn't know, but…

__

"Rai…"

__

"Pardon?"

__

"My name will be 'Rai' from now on." Rai took a contemplative sip of his tea and patted the massive fox at his side. "And Ninetails will be 'Lotus'." Hmm. Names were such precious, important things.

__

Frankenstein smiled gently, pleased that his master was pleased, speaking of, "Master, what did you have for lunch? It must have been wonderful…." Shinwoo probably splurged a bit. He did like to treat his friends.

__

"Ramen." And it was delicious. He'd introduce it to other nobles, when he had the chance. They needed to know how wonderful it was. He went back to his contemplation of names.

__

"What the! Ra…." Frankenstein was already working himself into another panic. "Forgive me, Master!"

__

But Raizel's mind was already elsewhere. Names. Names were important. Something give to show your love. Something to commemorate a memory. He wasn't allowed to regret things, ever, but still….He reached into his jacket, and pulled out a pokéball, black, gilded with gold.

__

"Zygarde" A black and green canid appeared in the red light. Frankenstein was taken aback. 10% forme? He'd last seen Zygarde complete. Just how bad a condition was Master in, that Zygarde would also be this damaged?

__

"Lycoris." Raizel would call it Lycoris. Frankenstein wouldn't understand, but that was okay. The Zygarde would. It'd been with him even longer than Lotus. Even if he couldn't regret it…he still missed him, after all. Seer Ultima di Lycoris. As misguided as he was, as _wrong_ as he was, he still loved him. Zygarde would become 'Lycoris'. Because Raizel didn't have his brother anymore. Because 'Noblesse' was originally a clan name, not a title. Frankenstein would never know, but that was okay. Raizel didn't really want him to.

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. That ended up far more angsty than I meant. Ah, well. Bonus points for anyone who can figure out which specific flower I meant to represent Rai's brother.


	3. Crack Episode

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> This picture only exists because my fiancé requested it. He knows how much time and effort I spent cleaning the background from the Alolan Vulpix pic (because I’ve no experience with digital art), and wanted to challenge me by making me do Tangela. Joke’s on him, I found a picture without a background! Of course, making the pic just kind of got the thought train rolling, and things just kind of snowballed from there. I also felt bad about making Rai angst in the last snippet. So here’s sweet baby Rai being emotionally tortured some more, but in a funny way this time.

As Raizel walked down the now familiar streets -not that that'd stop him from getting lost, he'd done so more than once _in his own house_ \- he heard the cry of an unfamiliar Pokémon, and turned to see it. Rai enjoyed meeting new Pokémon, he'd not seen many different types back in Lukedonia.

What? No. Nonononono. Was that…ramen? Was that a Pokémon…made out of noodles? Is this what his ramen would have become, had he just let it keep growing!? And his friends had _let him eat it_? _Frankenstein_ had let him eat it?

Raizel entered full panic mode, physically shutting down as he unconsciously reached out through the bond to Frankenstein. He knew that some Pokémon were eaten, that most humans needed meat to survive, but _this_ , this was eating a _baby_ Pokémon.

'Master.' 

They'd been eating baby Pokémon. _He'd_ been eating baby Pokémon. And he'd _liked_ it. How awful a thing to realize! Not only had he unwittingly _eaten_ a being just a precious as Lotus was to him, it was _delicious_! 

'Master.' 

How could they do this? How could _Frankenstein_ allow this? Were all humans capable of such casual cruelty? He'd _known_ that not all humans were innocent, no matter what Seer'd thought about the matter. But to think that they'd just engage in such abuse of power as to _harm a child_ without even thinking about it…had Seer been righ…. 

'Master!' 

'…Yes, Frankenstein?' 

___'That's a Tangela. Those are _vines_ , not noodles.'_ _ _

_…Oh._


	4. The Delinquent Vigilante

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I prioritize posting these to my [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/foggymagic). It's almost entirely Noblesse posts, and I also have little spotlights on various trainers' Pokemon, information segments that aren't stories, so I don't post them here. So if that's something that interests you, you might want to check that out. Without further ado, here's a younger Shinwoo. Enjoy.

"Yes Professor Lee, he's in the precinct right now." Commissioner Woo informed the man over the phone. "If you want to come in to speak with him, now'd be the time. Huh? No, no need to rush. He'll be detained overnight this time. I've let him off with too many warnings as it is….Even so? Okay. See you soon."

After he'd hung up, he went to the first interrogation cell, to the kid handcuffed for questioning in the chair. "Okay, Shinwoo. Looks like you're getting a visitor. Professor Lee'll be here in a bit."

"Heh, another principal gonna attempt to recruit me for their school? No thanks." He'd had enough of adults coming up to him. Telling him they knew what was best for him. He got enough of that from his own parents, and they didn't even live at home. Like they even knew him.

The commissioner sighed, already a little annoyed. "Look, you little brat. I've let you off far more than I should already. I know you're friends with my nephew, and I appreciate that, but you're starting to become a bad influence. If you can't listen to what the man has to say, at least keep yourself from dragging Ik-han down with you." This was the seventh time in as many weeks the boy'd ended up in his precinct. Each and every time for fighting. Sure, those most of those boys had had priors, but this was getting ridiculous. And it wasn't like they could just call his parents in on his behavior, they weren't even in the same _country_ for fuck's sake. So he'd taken drastic measures. Professor Lee wasn't just the leading Pokemon expert in Korea, he was an absolute genius when it came to child development, proven by his position as Chairman of _the_ Ye-Ran high school. The sheer quality of the school's alumni had made it into the top magnet school of the country. If _anyone_ could set this boy straight, it was him.

* * *

Several minutes passed until Professor Lee arrived at the station, two paper cups of coffee in hand. Commissioner Woo let him into the interrogation room, directing him to the seat across from Shinwoo. "I'll be in my office, since you requested a private conversation. Just grab me or one of the officers if he causes any trouble."

Lee thanked him, then waited for him to leave before turning his attention to the child in front of him. A couple of bruises marred his face, but from the reports, he'd been the winner of each altercation. The latest of which had even landed his opponent in the hospital, hence the intervention. The boy needed to learn restraint. He slid one of the coffees over to him, then took a sip of his own. "Here. I wasn't sure of what kind you'd like, so I grabbed a mocha. It's pretty popular with a lot of people."

Shinwoo politely sipped at the drink, studying the man in front of him. Bribery was common among those trying to get in to his good graces. "I'm not interested in going to your school. You're wasting your time here."

The man looked surprised. "I'm not here to ask you to attend my school." Then what was he here for? It wasn't like he couldn't overhear Ik-han's uncle, he'd barely taken three steps away from the room when he made his call. It wasn't the first time a school had tried to recruit him from a holding cell. It was like his fights had just convinced people of his athletic skill.

"Shinwoo, I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation you're in." The blond took off his spectacles, cleaning them on his suit jacket as he continued. "Someone is in the hospital right now because of your actions. If you keep getting into trouble like this, forget going to high school, you're going to end up in a detention facility." The only reason he wasn't going to one _now_ were some witness accounts of the other party having been assaulting some other kids before Shinwoo got involved.

This was news to him. He'd only knocked the boy unconscious, as far as he knew. He hadn't meant to _actually_ injure him, even if people like him _deserve_ it. Even so, "You say that like I was looking for a fight. All I did was ask him to stop what he was doing. He started it."

"You do go looking for fights. Maybe not this time. But the wandering around, late at night, in the more dangerous parts of town? You've been looking for trouble, Shinwoo. And it's gonna lead you to the kind you won't like."

Shinwoo scoffed. Another adult, pretending that they cared. "So, why should you care? I like going on walks. It gets boring, siting at home. There's nothing for me there." His tone conveyed nonchalance. His body language conveyed a different story.

So the kid was acting out because he was lonely, and lacked guidance. Lee could work with this. "I don't, not particularly. I just dislike wasted potential." Shinwoo flinched. Good, the barbs had landed. Lee considered the redhead for a moment. "You know, I quite enjoy late night walks too."

…Okay? Where was he going with this?

Lee leaned forward on the table. "I have an offer for you, Shinwoo."

"I don't want to join your school."

Lee snorted, waving off the suggestion, "No. Not that. Though you're welcome to do so once you graduate junior high." Lee's eyes sparkled like an aquamarine. "No. I want you to become a trainer. I even brought a Pokémon here. One I'm willing to let you take home with you now, if you take a liking to each other." He pulled a pokéball from his pocket, and released the Pokémon from it.

A small, blue, bipedal dog appeared from the red light of the pokéball. He'd read about this one before, somewhere. The baby form of Lucario. A…Riolu, was it? The puppy stretched, yawning. Cute. And it looked pretty tough too.

"Truth be told, he's not really suitable as a starter. When I hatched him, he had moves no newbie trainer should be using. So I was going to keep him as a guardian, but he's got this attitude problem."

Attitude problem? He was adorable. What possible problem could the little dog have?

"So, Pokémon don't always get along with each other, and fights break out. Riolu doesn't like seeing fights like that, so he ends up trying to break them up. Which is all well and good, but he uses his strongest moves. On fellow baby Pokémon, which is unacceptable. I could teach him not to do that, but I don't have enough free time." Was the Riolu _pouting_? He was! His cheeks were inflated and he was resolutely not looking at Professor Lee, who sighed in response. "See? Attitude problem. So would you be willing to take him off my hands?"

Shinwoo swallowed. "Yeah, okay."

Lee smiled. "Thank you. He really needs some one-on-one time. I do have a caveat for you taking him though."

"You do? What is it."

"You're a new trainer, and I have no idea how much you know on the subject. I want you to come to Ye-Ran as often as possible after school, to learn how to take care of him."

That was…acceptable. Shinwoo agreed, "Sounds reasonable. I'll do it."

"Thanks for your time, Mr. Han. Enjoy your new partner. Please stop by Ye-Ran tomorrow, we'll begin your first lesson and I'll give you some food for him."

When Shinwoo nodded in response, Lee left to the commissioner's office.

"Professor, done with your chat?" Woo greeted the man. "How'd it go?"

"Quite well. I don't expect quite as much trouble out of him, though it'll take time for him to settle down." If he did at all. He remembered being Shinwoo's age, angry at all the injustice in the world. He still hated it, but at least now he was in a position to help correct it, if only a little. But he'd made a situation where he could keep guiding him, and if he became comfortable enough with Ye-Ran to choose it as his high school as a result, well, that was all to the better. "From now on, I'll be taking responsibility for him, so if he gets in trouble, make sure you call me, commissioner."


	5. Battling For Dear Life part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one takes place shortly after the kids get kidnapped by Jake and Mary. Again uses altered canon dialogue. Starts in episode 68. ENTIRELY TOO LONG. I'M GONNA HAVE TO BREAK IT UP AS IT IS. BUT EVEN THIS SEGMENT REFUSES TO BE A RESPECTABLE LENGTH. TT^TT The other segments… _should_ be shorter, when I get to them. The difficulty here is that I have the endings of each segment planned out, but getting from point A to point B while implementing the changes is…long, in some cases. *sigh* This is one of many reasons I usually just lurk, instead of participating in fandoms like this. If anyone has a suggestion for what to call this monstrosity (it's not a snippet. It's really not) I'm all ears.

Shinwoo was already winded from his fight with the laser-eyed man. He'd hit vital spots over and over, dodging deadly blows, breaking bones and yet…and yet, he was _still standing_. All he'd managed to do was slow the guy down. He was already getting tired, but maybe, maybe it'd be enough to win if he kept it up.

A cigarette dropped to the floor. "Not bad." The pale man said, crushing out the cherry (didn't he know cigs were bad for him? No wonder he was pale) as he stood, one fluid motion. "He fights better than our normal trained members. He's really a student?" The vicious smirk promised bad things to come. "Wanna fight me?"

'That…that was nonsense.' M-24 thought. The agents Jake referred to, the ones he slaughtered for fun, they hadn't been modified, experimental ones like Jake being too valuable to send out on just anything. But even so, to say that a _child_ was more skilled than _trained killers_. Surely Jake wasn't being _serious_ , right? But no, the man (no, _monster_ ), stepped closer to the kids.

"I wanna check him out." Shinwoo was speechless. He was expected to fight a _fresh_ opponent now? "If I really wanna check out your skills…" He casually reached beside him, shoving laser-eyes out of the way, "garbage should get out of the way."

The wall was cracked. The _wall was cracked_ , and laser-eyes was _unconscious_. The guy who'd been _fine_ from _all his attacks_ was _unconscious_ from a _single fucking blow_ from pale-man. Who were these people? They were all monsters.

"Hey, kiddo. You're good. Did you train a lot?" Pale-man's constant smirk as seriously starting to piss Shinwoo off. It was like a Persian toying with a Rattata. This was a _game_ to him.

"I thought I did. But looking at you, it seems my training wasn't worth it." He specialized in martial arts specifically to protect his friends. If he couldn't even do that….

The man chuckled. "The way you talk back…you are really something." He spread his arms, a blatant challenge. "I will kill you one at a time. You already know I won't give you an easy death, right?"

"Why do I have to do as you guys tell me?" Honestly, at this point, he was just being facetious for the sake of wasting time. He'd managed to give that blatantly obvious coded message to Professor Lee. All he had to do now was stall until the police got here. Hopefully armed with some Machamp. He didn't think the standard Snubbull and Growlithe were gonna cut it this time. Even so, at this rate…. He rubbed Bohoja's pokéball unconsciously.

"Then don't. Quit if you don't want too." He was _sick_ of that smile. "I can just kill you and your friends. You don't amuse me, I should do _something_ to amuse myself." What was with this smarmy bastard!? "I'll give you a chance. Just attack me!"

Shinwoo didn't waste a second, running up and delivering his best kick. "Sorry, man. Thought you wanted me to attack." And what an attack it was. A solid blow, straight to the stomach. It wouldn't drop a monster like him, but with any luck, it'd wind him.

Pale-man let out a cackle. "Nice. That's what I want."

'An attack like that won't hurt Jake. It was no match from the start.' This wouldn't last long. M-24 fiddled with the pokéball in his pocket. It wouldn't help much, and he hated the idea of putting her in danger, but a battle. A battle might help buy some more time.

"The timing was good but the kick wasn't. Here, try again." The man's arms were still spread. He hadn't moved an inch from his previous position. Shinwoo rushed him, delivering three solid punches to his torso. Damn, was he hitting a wall? His hand was bleeding, and he was certain it'd fractured in a few places. Clenching a fist _hurt_ in ways it never had before, and this wasn't even his first time with a broken bone.

"You're not done, are you?" He…he wanted _more_? Honestly, Shinwoo was having trouble staying _standing_ , and _he wasn't even being attacked_. This man…Shinwoo's body trembled from the fear he'd been repressing since they were kidnapped. He was starting to doubt that help would come in time. Damn it, if only he could just stall longer! "What? That's it? You're no fun."

One swift motion and Shinwoo hit the wall. Body first, thankfully, but the momentum threw his head back on impact. Well, a concussion. Yeah, _that_ was something he needed in this situation.

"Shinwoo!" His friends were frantic, screaming at him. He coughed in response, trying to keep the coppery fluids from invading his lungs. Damn, he must have bitten something, or broken a tooth too close to the root. Shit. He was in NO condition to continue fighting.

"What? That's it? It's not entertaining." Smug prick. Shinwoo'd known he was fighting a losing battle, but that didn't make it any less frustrating. "Hey, kiddo. Like I said. Because you disappointed me, I will kill your friends, one by one." Like there'd ever even been a chance of him doing any different.

"Jake, that's enough." The grey-haired man who'd kidnapped them before was stepping in. Even if he was a bad guy, it seemed like he was trying to help.

"Why are you stopping me again." The pale man -Jake was his name?- positively growled the words. He really needed some kind of anger management classes.

"Until the last one comes…"

"That crap again?! Stop saying that. The last kid is coming. Why keep these ones alive?"

"What if he doesn't show? You wanna do this again? Because I don't."

"M-21 is right. Wait a bit more, that's all." The blue haired woman who'd previously been silently stroking a Liepard spoke. "M-21 will wait with me outside for the last kid."

M-21 shared a quick glance with M-24 before following Marie and her Liepard out the door.

Jake began walking toward the kids again. Did Marie not _just_ tell him to leave them alive!? "Jake, what're you doing? You disobeying Marie's orders?"

"I'm not gonna kill. Hey, Marie. It's okay as long as I don't kill, right?" The silence on the other end gave her answer: tacit agreement. "Understand me. No one has ever made me so annoyed. Ever since I started looking for you kids, I made up my mind. I will not let you die in peace…"

Oh, hell. M-24 was really gonna have to get involved, wasn't he?

The red-head groaned and sat up. "Damn, I can't even take a break…" The other two immediately set out checking to see if he was ok.

"Not bad. That idiot is still unconscious." Jake looked back at the infected.

"Hey." The red-head stumbled to his feet. "Before you hurt my friends…I'm right here."

Before the pale man could react. "Jake, wait." M-24 had no idea what he was doing. "Before anything else happens, there's something I want from them." There was every chance Jake'd just keep beating them, but…. "My Pokémon needs training. They're from a trainers' school." A Pokémon battle. Even with the league regulations, it was a pretty violent sport, much like MMA. It might just be enough for Jake to allow it. Probably why he'd even let the kids keep their Pokémon in the first place. More blood to spill.

Jake paused, looking at the large scarred man with. For a moment, M-24 thought he'd said the wrong thing, that he'd just made everything worse, when he responded with a scoff. "I don't know why you'd bother. Trash like you would have just been given more trash." But he still backed out of the way. "Have at it then. Make it entertaining."

"You. Redhead. Battle me." There, just like that. Rough, commanding. Jake wouldn't even question his intentions. He fumbled in his pocket for the pokéball. "Go Espurr!" A small, grey, bipedal kitten appeared on the concrete in front of him. _'Tiny, help me buy some time.'_ The kitten nodded, seemingly at nothing. Their mental link would never stop being useful.

Shinwoo hesitated. A battle…would buy time, but he had no idea what the scarred man was up to. Best to just wrap it up quickly then, to keep damage to a minimum. "C'mon out, Bohoja." He tossed the ball in the air, the familiar bipedal jackal pup forming from the light emitted. The type matchup wasn't in his favor, but he'd found out quick why the Professor'd said he "wasn't starter material." With a competitive breedject, Shinwoo didn't lose battles often.

Inflicting a status on the opponent seemed the best option, so " _Force Palm_." The pup moved to attack, faster than most humans could move, but the cat smacked him on either side of his neck, freezing him in place for a second. Nice try, but a Fake Out wouldn't work a second time. "Do it again, Bohoja." Faster this time, he hit the Espurr in the chest with an open hand. The kitten shivered, sparks dancing across her body before she let out a pain-filled cry, dealing a bit of sonic damage to her opponent. A super effective move on a fighting type like Riolu, but it wouldn't be enough. " _Blaze Kick._ " Bohoja's leg caught fire as he kicked the psychic cat, knocking it down and out.

"See? Trash is trash. You can't change that." Jake walked menacingly towards the fainted Pokémon. M-24 quickly recalled Tiny to her pokéball. Jake would NOT be getting to her if he could help it. "Really? You're just delaying the inevitable, you know." Jake paused, glancing at the redhead and his Riolu. "You've got a good idea though, why not use this as a training opportunity."

A small, heavily scarred Larvitar appeared before him. "Don't lose this time, got it?" The baby kaiju shivered. It wasn't her fights that had gotten her those scars. "Hey, even your Pokémon is well trained. Fight me."

Shinwoo didn't waste any time. "Bohoja, Sky Uppercut." Still affected by the speed boost from last fight, there wasn't even time to blink before he'd driven his fist into her chin, sending the tiny lizard flying. She was knocked out before she'd even hit the ground.

"Should have realized she'd lose. Bastards have been giving me trash since I went through the first few." He crushed a white pokéball in his hand. "Guess I'll have to dispose on this one too."

The redhead moved, tossing a ball of his own at the Larvitar. Fainted, there wasn't anything she could do to keep from being caught, even if it was against her will. It was against League Law to catch a fainted Pokémon for that reason. Yeah, he was committing a crime, but he'd release her once the danger was passed. IF it passed. "Sorry. My hand slipped. Guess you shouldn't have broken her ball. Ball-less Pokémon are technically wild, after all." Bohoja picked up the ball for him.

Jake was decidedly unamused. "I see." He'd make sure to remember that for next time he killed the trash the Union gave him, but for now….He backhanded Shinwoo right into a wall. "Satisfied?" He might have outsmarted him, but it would cost him. "Oh my…" Looks like without him in the way, his friends and Pokémon were unprotected. "Now, I can start."

"No, not yet." He was shaking, crouched on the ground, but he was up again? M-24 was stumped. Jake might not be using his full strength, even so, most _modified_ agents couldn't stand that attack. What was the boy made of?

Jake sauntered over to the boy and dealt a quick kick to his jaw, knocking him to the floor. "I guess I hit him too softly, thinking I shouldn't kill him." Yet. M-24 _hoped_ he meant yet. Any alternatives were just…to awful to comprehend. And yet, as Jake spun around for the others, the redhead grabbed his leg.

"What…What are you doing? You can't even stand up? Just stay on the floor." He shook off the boy's arms, and carefully stepped on his right arm, putting just enough pressure for a resounding 'crunch' to echo through the room. The children cried out, the boy in pain and his friends in horror. But still, he reached, looping his uninjured arm around the sadist's leg.

"You will…never…hurt my friends" His breathing was ragged, but his eyes still shone with defiance. M-24 was shaken. This kid. This kid cared about his friends as much as he cared for M-21, for Tiny.

"Shinwoo, stop it now. We're okay." Yuna cried. It was far from the truth, but this was unfair. Shinwoo was the only one getting hurt in all this.

"You can't get hurt because of us…" Ik-han agreed, tears streaming down his face. He did not want to watch this twisted man break Shinwoo more just because he wouldn't let him do to them what he was doing to him.

"Be quiet, both of you. This is…the only thing I'm good at…" Shinwoo…didn't really think that, right? That his ability to protect them was what made him worthy as a friend. He couldn't. Not after all they'd been through together, right?

"You think I'm doing this because I can't kill you?" Jake's face darkened. He'd been so patient so far, but even he had his limits. "Whatever. I'll just kill you all." He dragged Shinwoo by his hair, preparing for a lethal blow.

M-24 could not just watch. Not anymore. These kids cared for each other. They were comrades, just like the M series had been. For another group to be torn apart like theirs had…unacceptable. He punched Jake, sending him into the wall with enough force to bury him in rubble. He'd just sealed their fate. Jake would kill the last remnants of the M series. M-21 would understand though. Hopefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that marks the end of this segment. To clarify the battle scenes, a competitive breedject would be a 'mon specifically bred for competitive battles, but rejected, as it didn't meet the breeder's specifications (you end up with a lot of these going for competitive shinies, lots of fighting fit 'mons will be created before you find that one.) Given what all goes into this, and the overbreeding that can occur because of it, it's probably frowned upon, if not outright illegal in this 'verse. Not that that's going to stop everyone.
> 
> In gaming terms, first battle occured as follows: Espurr uses Fake Out, Flinching the Riolu but raising his speed due to his ability. Riolu uses Force Palm, and manages to Paralyze the Espurr, further widening the speed gap, and Espurr retaliates with Disarming Voice, a fairy-type move. Riolu then finishes with Blaze Kick, an egg move he was born with.
> 
> The fight with Larvitar went as quickly as it did because she was at a type disadvantage, with a Riolu with perfect attack IVs(essentially genetic stats, can be from 0-31) and a fair amount of EVs(Effort Value, stats gained through training. Is why trained 'mons are stronger than wild 'mons, even at the same level) from his time in the dojo with Shinwoo, using a STAB (same type attack bonus; for when a move's type matches the user's type) move. And the move was a high-powered one he hatched with (Bohoja has a Blaziken ancestor). Poor girl never stood a chance.
> 
> Jake doesn't train his Pokémon. As far as he's concerned, it should automatically be able to keep up with him. Any that doesn't dies. He's gone though several already, so the Union keeps giving him low levels with okay starting defence. Not gonna waste the good ones on him, and they aren't going out of their way to give him one with good defence, he'd only take it as a challenge.


	6. Never Coming Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to ask if anything doesn’t make sense, or you just want more information about this AU.

Seira strolled through the courtyard of Loyard Manor, the Flabébé her father had given her at her side. The connecting garden was awash in a sea of green and red, and a speck of black and white. Was that an Absol among the rose bushes? How unusual. She blinked and the creature was gone. Strange. 

Her attention turned to the tiny fairy, zipping joyfully from flower to flower, each rose only able to hold her attention until she found one she liked more. Maybe she’d finally choose one, like her species were supposed to do when they are born? Most just grabbed the first flower that appealed to them, she’d been told, but her Flabébé was _picky_ , and not just _any_ flower would do. 

The Flabébé seemed to be growing more anxious as it searched, though. Seira’s previously smiling lips pressed into a worried frown. This wasn’t necessary. Her Pokémon was bonded to her father. The symbiotic energy she’d need from a flower was provided by the link. “This way, you’ll have a piece of me always with you, no matter how far away I am.” He’d said when he left the baby fae in her care instead of taking her with him. 

A voice called out to her, drawing her from her thoughts. She turned. Gejutel? “Former Clan Leader, welcome.” She bowed to him, proper manners for one of his station. He’d often come to see her father, offering valuable advice for guiding the clan, but…. “My father has gone to help the humans, so he isn’t home….” Nor was any one else. They’d all gone with him.

“I know. I am here to see you.” 

“Me?” He was? What for?

“Seira J. Loyard, from now on…you are the Clan Leader of the Loyard.”

No. “No way…the Clan Leader…my father….” It couldn’t be true. It just couldn’t.

“Yes. Even my son, Rousare…was put into eternal sleep with him.” Seira was speechless. This couldn’t be happening. “It was a set up from the start. Whoever did this created a situation where humans had to ask for our help, to lure us out. We’re looking into who orchestrated this. I’m guessing it has to do with the clan leaders that betrayed us.”

Seira felt numb. “What happened to the people who needed our help?” They had to be all right. If her father’s death had been in vain….

Gejutel rushed to reassure her. “They were protected. Perhaps, your father and Rousare lost their lives in the process.” He looked like he was trying to convince himself as well. He had just lost his son after all. There’s no way he wasn’t hurting too. 

“Good to hear the people are safe.” She meant that. She really did. But the words felt hollow even to her own ears. And she was supposed to be the Clan Leader? “Sir, I’m not yet even an adult.” At only 115, she was barely even a preteen, even if she was more physically developed than a human at her developmental equivalent would be. “I’m not ready to take on the position of Clan Leader.” 

Gejutel agreed. “As you’ve said. You aren’t ready to take this position. Especially because you haven’t undergone the coming-of-age ceremony.” If Gejutel was a human, he would have shuffled uncomfortably. His noble pride precluded such inelegant actions, however. “Even if your power is awakened, you won’t have the ability to control it. You need time to mature into your power. 

“We’re quite distressed too. There’s no precedent for someone taking the position of Clan Leader before having the coming-of-age ceremony.” Gejutel continued. Before the Previous Lord had gone into eternal sleep, the youngest a Clan Leader had been appointed was Urokai, and at least he’d been 300 at the time. “No Clan Leader has ever died so suddenly, either.” Barring being sentenced by the Noblesse. Even when Urokai’s father had gone into eternal sleep to atone for the sins of the former Clan Leader, his brother, he’d still waited until Urokai was of age before doing so. Leaving actual children in charge of a clan…it just wasn’t done.

Gejutel shook off such thoughts. “But you can do it. No, you have to make it happen.” It was the only option left. “As the last pureblood of the Loyard Clan….”

“I understand.” Seira didn’t. Not really. But she had to do her best. For her father. For her clan. None of them were here anymore.

Gejutel nodded, then left as suddenly as he appeared, leaving her to her grief. He had his own child to grieve and a grandchild to raise, after all. Her Flabébé floated over to her, nudging her gently with the rose she had chosen, wanting to show off her choice. Seira didn’t notice, too involved with trying to suppress her tears. Nobles didn’t cry. Crying was noisy, and nobles couldn’t be noisy. 

The Flabébé became panicked. She was still too young, still didn’t understand. Why was the girl trainer had put her in charge of sad? She didn’t know. Did it have to do with why she couldn’t feel trainer’s energy anymore? She startled, seeing another Pokémon approach Seira. A _Dark _Type! Flabébé readied herself, a breezy energy gathering around her in case the strange monster was dangerous. But no, the Pokémon just nuzzled trainer’s girl’s limp hand, rubbing its horn firmly to get her attention.__

__Seira blinked, looking down at feeling smooth, cold bone on her hand. The…Absol? From earlier? She cocked her head, trying to remember what her father had taught her about the species. They tended to be mistaken for bad omens, simply because they appeared near disasters in an attempt to warn people. Oh. “You came because you wanted to warn me, didn’t you? That I would get painful news today. You wanted to comfort me.”_ _

__Absol’s only response was to nuzzle harder. Seira took that as ascent. She dropped to her knees, rubbing her face into the fur that so resembled her own hair in colour. Tears finally began to fall, dampening the silver fur of her new friend. It might be noisy, but it didn’t matter if she cried, not really. There wasn’t anyone here for the noise to bother. There never would be again._ _


	7. Battling for Dear Life part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That part where Frankenstein fights Mari, entirely from Frankenstein's POV.

Finally. Those kids had left. Frankenstein sighed, and got to the task of cleaning up, Gardevoir offering some psychic assistance for crumbs and Giratina using its dark tentacles to pick up some of the larger pieces of trash. He smiled at them, grateful. The kids always made such a mess, but Master enjoyed their company, so he supposed he could tolerate it. Especially when he had such helpful Pokémon to make sure he didn’t have to do all the work. 

After the three had finished cleaning, and he’d sat down for late night tea with Master, his phone began to ring. At this hour? Looking at it revealed the caller as Shinwoo. He hadn’t been gone for more than twenty minutes. He didn’t see anything they could have left when he was tidying up. He’d have set it aside if he did. So why? The only way to find up was to answer, so… “Professor Lee speaking.”

“Rai~! We haven’t seen you for a while. The three of us are here together, and we all miss you so much.” What? “You have to come. We will be waiting.” Wait. What was Shinwoo doing? “Yea, come over. We’re here at…” That location. The one where he’d fought that man? Before the woman interfered? That was…off.

“Master, we need to go now.” He’d brief him on the way there. There might not be enough time, otherwise. Master didn’t waste any time, elegantly standing and walking to the door, completely trusting in his servant’s judgement.

The two were soaring through the air, jumping rooftop to rooftop when he found the words to explain. “The call from Shinwoo didn’t sound right.” To elaborate his point, he replayed the conversation through the bond. 

“They were with us a while ago, he shouldn’t have talked like that.” Unless they got just got lonely that quickly, but in less than twenty minutes? That was extravagantly fast by anyone’s standards, “And talking to me on the phone as if he’s talking to you, master….” That was the real clencher there. Shinwoo knew damn well whose phone he’d have to call to get in contact with Master, and you didn’t just talk to the chairman of your high school like that, regardless of how close your relationship was. 

“I think they are in danger.” Master’s expression, normally placid, took a hard edge at the idea. He sped up, making it hard for Frankenstein to catch up. “Ah! Master! You don’t know the direction we need to go!”

* * *

They were approaching the location, two figures fighting on a rooftop blurrily visible when a voice rang out. “…Not just subjects you guys can use and get rid of!” M-21’s impassioned cry filled the ears of the fast approaching Frankenstein and his master.

The blue haired woman across from M-21 stared down at the floor. She calmly stated, “No. You are our consumables. You are failures that we can use and throw away any time we want.” Her voice was…off. Like a child repeating a phrase they’d been taught as truth. M-21 was shocked into silence. He’d known how the Union viewed him, but to hear it spoken aloud so matter of fact….

“What?” She was joking, right? “I don’t…” he landed with a flourish, before finishing his sentence, “like how that sounds….” That tired Union party line. It was the same excuse they’d given for abandoning Dark Spear. They were just as upset at hearing it again as he was.

A Liepard came from the shadows to circle around the woman’s legs, rubbing against them. “What is that man doing here? Does it have something to do with the kids here?” Well, she’d never know that. If it became common knowledge that he owned a school…he shuddered to think of the consequences. Normal humans had a much greater chance of survival against a power user if they had a Pokémon, but most of his students just had starters, hardly any more threatening than the children themselves. From his previous encounter with her, he wasn’t entirely sure he could take her himself. Not without breaking the seal on his powers, at any rate. Then she’d be gone, no challenge at all. But where was the fun in that?

“Listen. The organization’s facility is at the basement here. The kids are in danger.” Oh? Well that was useful information. He’d almost missed the grey-haired man talking to them. What was with the determined look on his face when he was so beat up? “I’ll stop her. You two get down there.”

_Honestly._ “You can’t fight her on your own.” At all. The amount of time he’d buy them blocking her here wasn’t even worth mentioning.

“That’s funny, M-21. You didn’t come to your senses?” She smiled coldly, the kind of cruel amusement from watching an insect struggle written across every pore. “You think a failed subject like you can stop me? Not even for a minute.” Well, she wasn’t _wrong_ , but the haughty superiority she exuded with each word made Frankenstein want to tear her apart even more than he already did. He really hated attitudes like that.

“This situation tells me that you know these two. Now I understand why you interfered whenever we tried to kill the kids.” M-21 didn’t answer her, so she continued on anyway. “You’re pathetic to trust them and plan this. If you thought they could fight me, you’re a fool.” Heh, please. Master would kill her before she could blink if he chose. Hopefully he’d leave it to him though. He didn’t want his master using his power for someone as insignificant as this.

M-21 growled in frustration. “There’s no time for this. I don’t know if the kids are alive. I think my colleague is blocking Jake, but…” M-21 swallowed the lump in his throat before continuing. “Help my colleague. Please.” 

A moment of silence passed before Master spoke. “Frankenstein.” 

“Yes.” He was listening. Master’s orders were absolute, and he was ever eager to fulfill them.

“I’m going in.” Not ‘let’s go’. So, he was going in alone.

“Yes, sir.” He wasn’t particularly happy with the idea that Master might have to fight, but it was his decision. This was the more efficient route anyway. He’d just wrap things up as quickly as he could here and join him after.

Master turned to M-21. “Lead the way.” The grey-haired man froze in place, probably in shock. Come on, we don’t have time for this nonsense. “You said we don’t have time.”

Still, the man turned to ask Frankenstein, “You really okay?” He nodded in response. Honestly. What was it going to take for this guy to just _go_? “This way” Master followed M-21 without another word.

“You can’t get away like that.” The woman moved to block them. In a split second, Frankenstein was in her way. 

“I guess I’m your match.” With a glare, the woman drew back just enough to unleash a spin attack using her nails as weapons. Frankenstein dodged with ease. “You’re not as good as you said you were.” A smug expression graces his features in the face of her incredulous one. 

She pulled back a bit, and the Liepard rushed him, leaping and landing a sucker punch to his abdomen before he could start in on his counterattack. Frankenstein staggered back a bit. An unexpected blow to the right spot could still wind anyone, even a noble, and in some cases, werewolves. He’d seen it happen before, been the one to deal such blows. He enjoyed doing so. Being on the receiving end…it was unpleasant.

After a cough and a deep breath, he grinned. “So that’s how you want to play.” Oh. This would be fun. He didn’t get to have _real_ Pokémon battles often. What was once just another tool and aspect of war was now simple sport, like so many other things. Which ones did he have on him though? Most of them were back at home, enjoying some free time outside of their balls.

He reached for his belt, running his fingertips across the embossed seals he’d used to decorate their Pokéballs. He’d brought two with him then, good. Hmm…Shuckle? No, this was a rescue mission, not a siege. The other one? Oh. His smirk turned absolutely devilish.

He drew the ball from its resting place on his belt and threw it with a flourish. It stopped in midair, releasing its contents, along with a shower of holographic confetti and fireworks, before returning to his hand like he’d thrown a boomerang. Those seals were a worthwhile investment. Anything worth doing was worth doing _with style_. Judging by miss blue hair’s disgusted look though, she disagreed. Ah, well. 

“Really? You’re going to fight me with a steak?” That tended to be most people’s response to this situation. There weren’t many who used this Pokémon in battle. Save that one Osakan Gym Leader.

“No. I’m fighting you with the _whole damn cow_.” Frankenstein quirked an eyebrow. Oh, he could not wait to curb-stomp this bitch. “Miltank? _Double team_.” The bovine before him began moving at a pace far too fast for ordinary humans to see, leaving after images as doppelgangers to confuse opponents. “You know what to do after that.”

The Liepard went in for a Night Slash on the Miltank at the same moment the woman moved to attack Frankenstein, both missing again and again, before Frankenstein released an attack of his own, dark whip-like energy encircling the woman’s right arm and slicing it from wrist to shoulder, drawing a grunt of pain from her.

“You’re good, I’ll give you that.” Oh, he was _more_ than good. She wouldn’t realize that until it was too late though. Pity, that. “You’re not like anyone I’ve dealt with.” 

Her flesh began to bubble a bit, arms growing spikes of bone before the spikes and her arms turned carbon black, veins of phosphorescent blue tracing from her newly formed claws all the way up to where her flesh returned to normal at her shoulders. That’s…he’d made notes about that once. A way to copy werewolf abilities. So, that human supremacy organization had managed to make something of that data. He could have sworn it was part of what he’d taken with him to keep them from abusing it though. Part of the same journal he’d recorded his theories about soul weapons in. Her arm appeared healed however, so maybe not? 

“It’s been a while since I’ve met someone that made me transform.” A haughty, superior smile crossed her face. “It’ll be different from now.” So he couldn’t keep an eye on Miltank and Liepard’s fight anymore. That was fine. Miltank could handle herself.

With a glare, she ran at him, dealing a blow that cracked the concrete even as Frankenstein dodged. Without missing a beat she reached his landing spot and attacked again. The blond man only barely dodged with a tilt of his head. “What’s wrong? Where’s all the confidence you had?” The woman’s lilted voice oozed amusement. “You’re not smiling anymore.”

Her speed and power were greatly enhanced after she’d transformed. It wasn’t easy to modify someone like that. Humans had come this far? Not just mimicking some of the werewolves’ physical attributes, but boosting abilities to this degree? This could be troublesome.

**_Frankenstein._ **

**_Master?_ **

**_I allow you to break the seal keeping your power repressed._** Oh? He’d not let him lift the seal once since it was first applied. Master must be highly displeased by whatever was going on down below.

**_I, your master, Cadis Etrama di Raizel order you to destroy the enemy that stands in front of you._ **

“Yes, Master.” His aura began to swirl like a breeze around him. “Break…the seal.” With each word, a dark power leaked, invading his aura in ever growing spikes. The woman before him cringed, looking to her arm, the wounds reacting to his power and aching in response. “What’s wrong? Your arm didn’t heal?” Oh? So it _was_ based on his research.

“I doubted you at first, but now I can tell from your response. Want to know why?” He couldn’t wait to see her expression. “Everything about you guys. It all started from me.” They had to still be using his research as the base. He’d made sure to warp it so everything made from it would be weak to his attacks. Dark Spear tended to cling inside of wounds anyway, feeding on the bits of soul carried in blood, but it was so much worse for those enhanced by copying his techniques, slowing their healing factors until they were the same as an ordinary human’s.

“What?” The woman was dumbfounded. Poor thing, it can’t be easy knowing you’re face to face with the father of human enhancement, the original and best enhanced human in existence. “What…do you mean?”

“I was allowed to break the seal on my power by Master, so I became a little emotional.” He couldn’t help it, really. No one had truly known of his brilliance in centuries. But saying anything more risked that damnable organization hunting him again. “That’s it.” Still. This wouldn’t last much longer. The first fight he’d had in a long while, and it was ending in the blink of an eye. How boring. “This is annoying.” 

He raised a hand in the air, focusing the energy into spears before directing them at the woman faster than she could blink. They fatally impaled her where she stood. Or…they should have. It seems the spear he sent towards her heart missed, just a bit. Even so, she was unconscious, and should be dead soon without aid. But…it was best to finish her off. Just in case.

Within a few steps towards her, the Liepard blocked his movement to protect her, hissing and growling at him. The large cat was covered in blood, jaw dislocated, several bones broken and hoof prints from his Miltank scattered across the creature’s back like its spots. How had it even gotten here from the fight with his Miltank, damaged as it was? 

Where was his Miltank? Oh. She was walking over, presumably to finish off the cat like he was the woman. A tyrant his Blissey may be, but she had nothing on his Miltank’s casual sadism. Miltank enjoyed toying with her ‘prey’. A strange mindset for an herbivorous Pokémon, but that was the very reason he kept her. Better she be with him than a danger to others. 

He recalled her to her ball. The Liepard was damaged enough, and Miltank would only drag its death out more than she already had. He went to approach again, but the Liepard lashed out with a swipe of its paw, its growling growing louder in response. This was…protective behavior? Last he’d heard, the organization harshly abused the Pokémon it captured, subjecting them to forced evolution, behavioral adjustment experiments, even attempted hybridization. But these…these were not actions of an abused Pokémon. There was no cowering, no aggression, beyond what it was doing to _him_ , a perceived threat to it and its trainer. 

Was this woman actually a good trainer? For a Pokémon to show such loyalty to someone like her. And this wasn’t just any household pet. Dark types were notoriously picky when it came to their trainers. They had to be, when they had such a bad reputation. Bad omens, born evil they were called. It didn’t help that they were known to kill their trainers. It only happened when they were mistreated, but most people just looked at the typing and figured it was part of their nature. Rather than the truth, that Pokémon, regardless of type, were just as varied in personality and motivation as people. And just like people, most were only trying to live their lives, and had no particular desire to cause harm.

How to handle this though? Master had ordered him to destroy her, but this was an interesting development he wanted to observe more. He could take them both back home. Heal them. Destroying her current self would be fulfilling Master’s order, right? He crouched where he was, speaking softly, placatingly, to the Liepard.

“I can save her.” The Liepard sat, glaring unbelievingly, but listening all the same. “Neither of you ever have to go back to the place you came from, either. I’ll make sure of it. But if you don’t let me treat her wounds, she’ll die.” And likely so would the Liepard, but it was far easier to treat Pokémon wounds that it was humans. 

The Liepard nodded, slowly moving out of the way, allowing him passage. Frankenstein grabbed the white Pokéball off her belt, recalling the Leipard into it before placing it into an empty slot on his own belt. It’d be in stasis within the ball, so time would no longer be a factor for treating its injuries. Now for her injuries. Hmm. 

They were serious, but if he bound the wounds, it would increase the amount of time he had to treat her exponentially, so he could just use the lab at his home to do so. He’d be able to just carry her with him while he aided Master without too much trouble. But he hadn’t carried any medical tools with him…an oversight on his part when he expected to be treating severely injured children. Ripping strips of fabric off his suit jacket, he sighed.

“This is the second jacket this group has ruined.” They really had no respect for the effort he went through to look nice for a fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup. Mari lives in Pokémon AU. Because I like her, and want to explore her character when she's in a healthy environment.


End file.
